Tooled Up Education

Researcher of the Month: Is Heavy Gaming Detrimental to Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing? Dr Simona Skripkauskaite Fills Us In

Should we worry if our teens spend hours a day gaming? New research shows that for the majority of teens, heavy gaming is not detrimental to their wellbeing and might even have a positive relationship with it. However, it also shows that there are a small number of teens for whom heavy gaming is associated with poor wellbeing. Dr Simona Skripkauskaite, our Researcher of the Month for February 2023, chats to us about her new study and what these findings mean for parents.

Glossary of Incel Terms

This glossary has been put together by Dr Lewys Brace, a senior lecturer in criminology at the University of Exeter. It’s designed to be used by school staff to aid awareness of the sort of language used by the incel community.

The Incel Ideology, Online Extremist Ecosystems, and Their Impact on Young People: What School Staff Need to Know

This webinar explores the nature of how young people engage with incel and other extremist content online in Britain today. Dr Lewys Brace explains ‘where we are’ with this kind of ideology and the extent to which children and young people are engaging with it. He discusses the sites and online spaces that young people are inhabiting, explains the worldview and language used by these online communities and highlights any known red flags.

Developing Algorithmic Literacy

Do you really understand how algorithms work? Do you feel equipped to help your children learn more about what has become an essential part of digital literacy? We’ve rounded up some of the best evidence-based resources designed to help young people navigate and understand online algorithms.

TikTok: Your Questions Answered

The short-form, video-sharing app TikTok is hugely popular among teens which leaves us, parents, with a fair amount of questions about the infamous platform. Is it safe? What are the age restrictions? Are there any settings that can help protect my child from harmful content? We’ve got you covered and created this resource to answer some of the most frequently asked questions.

Taking a Closer Look at TikTok

In this webinar, Dr Weston and psychologist, Dr Elly Hanson, discuss some of the more worrying content shared on TikTok and outline what parents and carers can do to mitigate harm, reduce risk and keep their children and teens safe online. Please note that this webinar is recommended for adult viewing only as it may contain distressing and hard-hitting content and imagery.

TikTok Explained

Useful for any parent with children who use TikTok, this video provides a brief introduction and overview of the platform, explains how TikTok works, how the algorithm operates and what privacy settings there are.

Thinking about Who We Follow and Why

This activity is designed to surface discussion about who young people follow online and why. It is also designed to provoke conversations about the importance of remaining critical about the things that we see and read online and conscious of its impact on us as individuals in terms of our attitudes and actions.

Dr Weston Talks with Professor Deirdre Butler and Dr Paula Lehane: Using Minecraft in Schools

In this podcast interview, Dr Weston talks with Professor Deirdre Butler and Dr Paula Lehane about how Minecraft: Education Edition is being used in classrooms. They discuss the great potential of so called ‘sandbox’ games in children’s learning, outline current gaps in the research evidence and provide useful tips for any teachers wanting to make the most of game-based learning.